Red flags when hiring a solar installer

We get a lot of consultation requests from people who've already received two or three solar quotes and can feel that something is off but can't quite name it. Usually it's one of the red flags below. Here's how to spot them before signing anything.

🚩 Red flag 1: "Free" consultation with pressure to sign today

Legitimate solar quotes take time. A site survey, shading study, production model, and proposal take days, not an afternoon. If someone hands you a one-page quote at the end of an hour-long pitch and asks you to sign before they leave, they're selling — not consulting.

🚩 Red flag 2: No detailed bill of materials

A real quote lists specific panel models, inverter model, mounting system, and optionally battery. Not "premium panels" or "tier-1 equipment" — actual part numbers you can look up online. If the quote can't tell you what brand of inverter you're getting, it's because they plan to install whatever's cheapest when they reach your roof.

🚩 Red flag 3: Production estimates without modelling assumptions

A quote that says "this system will produce 8,500 kWh per year" without showing where that number came from is a sales figure, not an engineering one. Ask: what peak sun hours did you assume? What tilt and orientation? What shading losses? A real quote has these visible.

🚩 Red flag 4: Refusal to put warranty terms in writing

Warranties should appear in the contract: product warranty (typically 25 years on panels), performance warranty (typically 80–85% at year 25), and workmanship warranty (typically 10 years from the installer on their own work). If the installer says "don't worry, we stand behind our work" but won't write it down — they don't stand behind their work.

🚩 Red flag 5: No structural review of the roof

Solar systems add 15–20 kg per square metre plus wind load. On most modern commercial and residential roofs this is well within capacity, but older roofs, unusual structures, or damaged roofs need to be assessed. An installer who skips structural review is gambling with your roof.

🚩 Red flag 6: Payment schedule heavily weighted upfront

Reasonable schedules: 20–30% deposit to confirm order, 40–50% on material delivery, final 20–30% on commissioning. A schedule demanding 70%+ upfront before any material is on site puts all the risk on you.

🚩 Red flag 7: Pressure to skip the utility interconnection process

Grid-tied solar requires utility approval. This is administrative and sometimes slow, but it's mandatory. Installers who suggest "we can just install and you deal with the utility later" are cutting corners that can invalidate your system's legal status and insurance.

🚩 Red flag 8: No real company address or licences

Check the company registration. Solar installation often requires electrical contractor licences specific to your region. A "company" that's a Gmail address and a mobile number will not be there in year six when you need a warranty claim.

🚩 Red flag 9: "Exclusive manufacturer partnership" claims

Legitimate installers buy from multiple manufacturers and choose based on project needs. "Exclusive partnerships" usually means they're locked into one supplier's inventory — convenient for them, limiting for you.

🚩 Red flag 10: Unwilling to provide references

A real installer has clients they've served for 3+ years who they'll happily put you in touch with. If the "references" are all projects completed in the last six months, you're looking at a newer operation that hasn't yet been tested by time.

Questions that reveal a serious installer

• "Can I see a sample proposal from a similar project?"
• "Who designs the system — is that you or a subcontractor?"
• "What happens if the inverter fails in year 8?"
• "How many systems have you installed in my region specifically?"
• "Can you walk me through the yield model assumptions?"

A serious installer answers all of these in specifics. Vague answers to any of them is information in itself.